Two Days
by Damn Fine Coffee
Summary: He waited.
1. Chapter 1 - Sems pa Shor

Two days.

He waited.

Watched.

Paced.

Cursed.

Cried.

Prayed.

No amount of reassurance could settle his stomach. Cooper had set foot into the lodge, and Harry felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He couldn't tell at this point whether it was fear or copious amounts of coffee brought by Andy from the Double R Diner that was making his hands shake so much. He hadn't eaten, he hadn't slept, and he hadn't done much of anything but stare into the darkness trying to will Agent Cooper's body back from the other side. Every moment that passed he'd reassure himself. Any moment now he'd see the smiling face of his friend step out from the trees.

 _"Harry, I've done it."_

Truman would exclaim. Then he'd go on a long winded explanation involving fantastic visions and clever tactics. Coffee and pie would follow. The cold wind blew through the trees and the Sheriff realized he was alone again. He dropped his head into his hands, rubbed his face and took a deep breath. He allowed his mind to wander. He had been asked multiple times what his opinion of the FBI Agent was. The first word that had popped into his head each time was "Charming." They had more of their fair share of tender moments, although he had loved Josie, Harry had grown to love the young man as well. Josie was a fake, she had lied to him. Maybe, deep down she did actually love him, but in the end it couldn't save her. That night Cooper had come to the Bookhouse and saved him from himself, he knew that his feelings ran deeper than simple admiration.

He poured himself another cup of coffee, then paused and poured a second cup for Dale. He placed it on the ground near the cove as if the smell of fresh coffee could somehow lead his friend back from darkness. He stared down into his own cup. He could see the stars winking above.

 _"Black as midnight on a moonless night."_

His head shot up. There was no one there. It was around the twenty-third hour of the second day. He slumped down onto the ground and buried his face into his arms. Harry wasn't sure how long he had been sitting like that, but for a brief moment get got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He looked up and blinked twice. There were two bodies lying in the middle of the cove.

 _"Coop?"_

The younger man looked up at him bewildered. Harry was speaking but the words didn't make sense. He felt Harry lift him up, and he blacked out.

Harry sat in a chair at the end of Cooper's bed, his resting on his hands. Dale had been out for hours. The Sheriff had tenderly removed his clothes and replaced them with soft pajamas, the whole time his mind was screaming.

 _"Wake up, Coop. Please... Just wake up."_

Doc Hayward had examined him and found nothing but some cuts and scrapes. Now the only thing they could do was wait.

Deep in Agent Coopers mind his subconcious wandered about in darkness. He had seen Harry, and called out for him but his voice went unheard. He longed to be in the comforting presence of his friend. It was hard enough leaving him standing outside the cove, their goodbye was brief. Harry had put on tough front, but his eyes were filled with worry. He heard a laugh echo through the darkness and then as his eyes had adjusted, he could make out the shape of the man.

 _"BOB."_

He whispered. He took a deep breath and closed the gap between them.

 _"Where am I?"_

BOB's lips did not move, but Cooper knew the answer. He was connected to the killer because BOB was in his mind. He felt fear creep over him. If it was BOB inhabiting Leland who had made him kill his daughter, what was stopping himself from committing such acts? The answer was nothing. BOB was grinning wickedly now, as if he understood. Of course he understood. He was BOB, and BOB was he.

 _"Why me?"_

Cooper crossed his arms. BOB narrowed his eyes and mimicked him, crossing his arms and cocking his head.

Vulnerable. Flashes of Caroline appeared in front of him, which dissolved into Annie. He may have entered the lodge bravely, but deep down he was afraid. He'd loved once and lost and it had almost broken him. To love again with the fear of losing everything all over again had made his heart vulnerable. It was his own passion that had weakened his mind. For a moment he was angry at himself. A light appeared off in the distance, resembling the shape of a door. BOB turned and started to walk towards it.

 _"You're wrong."_

Cooper whispered fiercely. BOB stopped, but did not turn around.

 _"Love is painful, and terrifying. When things go wrong it can leave you empty and broken."_

He thought of Harry, cradling Josie's dead body. Leland's face as he was forced to remember what he had done to his own daughter.

 _"Love isn't a weakness. It takes strength to admit you love someone. Love conquers all."_

There was no reply. BOB continued to walk to towards the light. Somewhere in the distance he heard Harry's voice.

"BOB. I WONT LET YOU DO THIS!"

Dale started after the killer but no matter how fast he ran the distance between them never seemed to change. There was a flash, and the light was gone. Alone he stood in the darkness.

Harry rubbed his temples and sat down on the edge of the bed. He had been unable to sit still since Cooper had gotten up and gone into the bathroom. Something didn't feel right.

 _"Harry, I know you're worried. I'm sure he's fine. Who knows what ordeal his mind endured in the woods? You need to give him time."_

Harry sighed.

 _"I know Doc its just-"_

At that moment they heard a loud crash from the bathroom. Harry leapt up and ran to the door. It was locked.

 _"Coop? Hey Coop... Are you alright?"_

No answer.

 _"Shit Shit Shit..."_

Harry threw himself against the door. Once, then again and the door splintered. The Sheriff paused for a moment. The mirror was smashed, Cooper was covered in blood, and laughing hysterically.

 _"No... God no..."_

He made a move to grab the younger man by the shoulders but he was too slow. Dale turned and with one swift movement, ran a shard of mirror through Truman's arm. Harry fell back against the wall.

 _"Coop, it's me. You gotta be in there somewhere."_

He was disregarded and the man who was no longer his friend exited the bathroom. Harry tackled him. Doc Hayward jumped back.

 _"GET OUT OF HERE DOC!"_

Dale thrashed under the weight of the Sheriff.

 _"Harry, he's going to kill you!"_

 _"THAT'S AN ORDER."_

Doc Hayward looked bewildered. He stumbled towards the door and into the hall. Backing up against the wall, he prayed. Dale was strong, but Harry was stronger. Fueled by adrenaline he managed to pull Cooper up, into his arms. Harry buried his face into the younger man's neck. Dale screamed and fought, but Harry held on tighter. He felt the searing pain of the mirror slice through his arm, and he continued to hold on. With all his strength he pulled the FBI Agent down to the floor.

" _I know you're in there Coop, and I'm not going to give up. You hear me?"_ Harry whispered fiercely.

BOB continued to struggle.

" _I-I didn't realize it until you stepped into the lodge and I didn't think I'd ever see you again."_ Harry whispered into the younger man's ear. He felt Dales body seize.

" _I didn't understand how I was feeling. I thought my fear was losing my best friend. But it wasn't that Coop."_

Harry took a deep breath. He buried his face into the younger man's shoulder.

" _It wasn't that at all. The thing is Coop… The thing is… I-I love… I love you."_

Dale's body went limp. All the glass in the room shattered.

Harry cradled the FBI agent's body in his arms. He was still breathing. BOB was gone. Agent Coopers eyes opened, and he reached out for Harry's face.

 _"Harry... You did it."_

The Sheriff shook his head.

 _"No Coop, we did it."_

Cooper smiled and passed out. Harry was feeling feint from the loss of blood, but he managed to shout to Hayward.

" _DOC! I need you in here now!"_

Doc Hayward looked horrified. Harry's arm was bleeding profusely.

" _W-we have to get the bleeding to stop."_

" _No, take him first. Please get him out of here!"_

" _Harry, your arm…"_

" _I'll take him myself."_

Harry attempted to stand up, even with all the adrenaline racing through his veins the loss of blood caused him to sway. He laid Coopers body on the bed. The Sheriff stumbled, and then fell onto the bed. The last thing he remembered was being lifted onto a gurney.


	2. Chapter 2 - What Was Can Never Be

Two days Cooper searched for Annie. Upon his return to Washington it consumed him. She hadn't even told Norma where she was going. Dale thought for sure the extensive resources of the FBI would be capable of locating the young woman, but every clue only turned up a dead end. He tired desperately to remember her there in the lodge, but whatever had happened in those woods that night had put him through so much, his brain had shut down. Dale had woken up in the hospital a few days later, an exhausted Sheriff Truman asleep in the chair next to his bed. Cooper shuddered. He'd almost killed his best friend.

It was clear to Albert that Dale hadn't been himself since he'd left Twin Peaks. Sure, the case was over, he was reinstated and praised for his work. Even after his extensive mental exhaustion life was more or less back to normal. He had started developing migraines a couple weeks after his return. Manageable, his doctor said. Albert had suggested a therapist. He reluctantly agreed. Anything to get Albert to stop walking on eggshells around him. He felt empty inside, like there was a part of him that had been stolen from him and Twin Peaks held the answer... No, he shook his head. Twin Peaks and its inhabitants were no longer his concern. His therapist reassured him that the feeling was a direct response to the amnesia, and perhaps over time, those memories would return. That thought made him feel sick to his stomach.

 _"It's for the best."_

He told his reflection in the mirror as he tied he tie. This had become his morning ritual. Each morning he reminded himself of how much better Twin peaks was without him. He sighed. His reflection was a stranger to him.

The day had progressed the way any normal workday should. Work was a distraction to him now, a way of passing the time. He'd been staring at some papers on his desk when his mind began to wander. Casually he started thinking about Hawk, Harry, and Andy at the Sheriff's station. It was about the time they'd be at the Double R for lunch. Hawk scolding Andy for eating too fast and getting a stomach ache while Harry sipped on his coffee and smiled. Daydreams like these had become a guilty pleasure. The sound of the phone jarred him out of his happy place. He looked up and his eye caught the sight of a man walking through a sea of suits. This man was dressed in flannel, wearing a Stetson hat and looked exactly like Harry. Dale blinked incredulously. He ignored the phone and ran out in to the hall. The man slipped through a crowd heading to the elevators. Cooper pushed his way through, offering empty apologies to those he bumped shoulders with. His hand reached out and stopped the elevator just in time.

 _"Harry!"_

He stepped back, he was face to face with Albert.

 _"Cooper?"_

Dale was snapped back to reality.

 _"Albert?"_

Albert excused himself from the elevator and grabbed the younger agent by the arm, steering him around the corner into an empty hall.

 _"What the hell do you think you're doing, Coop? Running down the halls like a maniac chasing after some invisible Sheriff from your Little House on the Prairie fantasy."_

Albert whispered fiercely. Any normal person would have probably taken offense to the tone of his voice however Cooper had known him long enough to see that he was concerned.

 _"Albert... I could have sworn I saw Harry getting into that elevator..."_

Dale leaned up against the cool wall and sighed.

 _"Yeah I saw him too. Him and his little dog Toto."_

Albert face softened and he placed his hand on the FBI agent's shoulder.

 _"Its been two months Coop. You need to come to terms with what happened. The answers are there in Twin Peaks."_

Dale wanted to cry but maintained his composure.

 _"But what if I don't want to remember? Albert, I could have killed more people if Harry hadn't stopped me. Hell, I almost killed Harry!"_

 _"Coop. I can't force you to put yourself through that again. But you just left... Did you even say goodbye to anyone? Do you remember what it says in the Bardo-thodol?"_

 _"I didn't actually kill anyone, Albert. At least, I don't think..."_

 _"Repressed grief is still grief, and volatile. Now I want you to go home, and click your heels together and say, there's no place like Twin Peaks!"_

Dale did agree he should go home. Maybe some sleep would do him good. He endured hours of tossing and turning, nightmares filled with BOB's laughing, twisted face. Just when he thought he was going to be swept into the darkness forever he heard a voice calling him. BOB's face disappeared. In the black void of his mind, a figure approached him, illuminated by a soft yellow light. They were about an arms-length away when he stopped.

" _Harry…"_

" _It's going to be alright Coop. He can't hurt you now, but I need you to remember..."_

" _I don't understand."_

Harry's mouth moved but no sound came out.

" _Harry I can't hear you! Harry I'm so sorry!"_

The image of Harry began to fade.

" _Please don't go."_

He woke up in a cold sweat. He had to go to back Twin Peaks.


	3. Chapter 3 - Best Laid Plans

Harry was not happy.

He didn't blame Dale for running back to Washington as soon as he could. He could never harbor bad feelings against him. The man had stolen his heart. Harry was mad at himself for letting him run away so easily. There wasn't a night that passed where Harry didn't consider jumping into his car and driving all the way to Washington. The only thought that stopped him was why he would find when he got there. Did Dale find Annie? Were they living happily ever after? Those thoughts made him sick to his stomach.

" _Coward."_ He berated himself. _"You wouldn't even know what to do if you saw him."_

Harry sighed. That part was true of course. He looked down at the files on his desk and as he did every time he started to loose control he reminded himself, _"If he really cared about you, then he would have called."_

Somehow those words made it bearable.

Cooper pulled up to the Sheriff's station around 5pm. He made sure to park off to the side as to not draw attention to himself. He turned off the ignition and fell back into the seat. A part of him wanted to run inside, the other part wanted to put the car back in drive and take off for Washington. He decided against the latter, and slowly climbed out of the car. A strange excitement ripped through his body, like a breeze through the Douglas Fir he had become to enamored with. He approached the door with caution, opening it so silently even Lucy didn't notice until he was standing in front of the window.

 _"A-Agent Cooper!"_

She exclaimed a little more loudly than he'd hoped. Before he could get a word out, Hawk and Andy came around the corner. They all started talking at once, much to his dismay. Each one rapid firing a question at him, shaking his hand and embracing him with the kindness he remembered. Then he saw Harry step out from his office. He said nothing. Cooper's heart stopped. He'd never seen such hurt and anger. Something deep inside was telling him to embrace his friend, but following his heart had a tendency to get him into trouble.

 _"What was I expecting?"_ He thought, his heart sinking. _"Everything would be just fine? We'd go out for_ _coffee and pie and chat about the old times? You almost killed him…"_

Everyone else had quieted down. The tension was unbearable. In less than a second he was left alone with the Sheriff in the waiting area.

"Come in, I guess…"

Harry slipped back into his office leaving Dale behind. Cautiously he approached the door. It was partially open. The room was half lit, and in a state of disorganization. For a moment he was worried the Sheriff had been drinking again, but he saw no evidence of it. He breathed a sigh of relief.

 _"How's it been, Harry?"_

There was no answer from the man standing in the corner. Ages passed in silence.

 _"You could have called. After everything that happened, a month has passed and we never heard from you. Never knew if you were okay. You could have called…"_  
Harry's voice was emotionless.

" _Harry..."_

 _"Two days Coop, Two FREAKING days I waited for you outside. I couldn't sleep, hell I could barely breathe I was so scared. And when you FINALLY appeared and we got you back to your room, I had to watch you become a monster, know that my best friend was trapped inside the mind of a psychopath and there was NOTHING I COULD DO to bring him back."_

The tears ran down his cheek, unstoppable now. Dale wanted to console him but he knew that the only way Harry could cope was to let it all out. He stood rooted firmly in place, accepting the verbal assault. He bit his lip to keep from crying. Harry threw himself into a chair and smashed his fist into the desk. Shakily he wiped the tears from his face.

" _Harry..."_

Cooper approached gently.

 _"I tried to kill you. I tried to kill my best friend. I don't care if it was BOB or not, I lost control. Harry if you hadn't been able to stop me, I could have hurt more people. I would have never been able to live with myself."_

Harry was quiet for a moment.

 _"You left Coop. Didn't you trust any of us? After all the time you spent here, after everything we've been through, you just FREAKING left."_

Harry pushed himself up from the chair and walked up to the FBI agent. He placed both of his hands on his shoulders. They were warm and strong. The close proximity of their bodies made him feel weak.

 _"I know you almost killed me Coop. But if it meant saving your life, I'd do it a thousand times over."_

Cooper dared himself to look into the Sheriff's eyes. For a moment he felt a kind of familiarity. His mind flashed briefly to Harry, covered in blood, holding him down. His mouth was moving, and he was crying but the words were inaudible. Back in the present, he found himself standing alone.


	4. Chapter 4 - Love and Handcuffs

_"Harry's a proud man."_

Hawk's voice broke through the silence.

" _I know. I've made a mess of everything. There's something more though Hawk, I can feel it. I was drawn to come back to Twin Peaks because of Harry, and now he's closed himself off."_

" _Because when he loves, he loves with all his soul."_

Love. The word hit him like a brick wall.

" _He put everything on the line that night."_

 _"Hawk, I don't understand… We're friends…"_

Dale sat down in the chair closest to him, his mind was racing. It started to make sense, the tears and anger. Dale never could figure out why BOB had let go of his mind so easily. Harry's mouth was moving, covered in blood. He couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could read his lips.

" _I love you, Dale Cooper."_

Cooper felt ill. All of the memories were coming back to him.

" _I have to go, Hawk I'm sorry."_

" _Agent Cooper, wait. You don't look well."_

The agent pushed his way passed Hawk and jumped into his car taking off down the dusky highway. Hawk ran back into the Sheriff's office and quickly radioed Harry.

Harry's heart was pounding in his chest. He scanned the sides of the road praying that he didn't see Dale's car, his heart sinking when he noticed a familiar set of taillights pulled off to the side. The Sheriff pulled over and practically jumped out of the still moving vehicle.

" _Coop?! Coop where are you?!"_

He stopped short when he saw the dark-haired man sitting up against his tire.

" _Oh Jeez Coop…. What happened?"_

Harry whispered kneeling in front of him.

" _I remember everything."_

Dale whispered, clearly trying to maintain his composure. Harry nodded and pulled the agent into his arms. He didn't need to say anything. Dale began to recount the events from that night the best he could. Harry just held on and rubbed his back.

 _"We'll get through this. I'm not going anywhere."_

They stayed like that for a while, Dale whispering fevered forgiveness into the Sheriff's shoulder. The sun was setting over the mountains. Everything was cast in a pinkish orange glow. After some time, Dale spoke up.

 _"Is it true Harry? Do you really... Love me?"_

Harry leaned back on the side of the car. His eyes closed.

 _"Yes. Coop, I love you."_

 _"When I left, you thought..."_

 _"I didn't know you didn't remember."_

 _"BOB exploits our weakness's. Mine was having my heart broken. I let him in when Annie was kidnapped. All I could think about was how I couldn't save Caroline. I was determined not to let it happen again. I doubted myself because of my failure."_

Dale gently set his hand on top of Harry's.

 _"I tried to kill you but you held on. When you told me you loved me you showed him that no matter how much I doubted myself, and even through all my flaws, I was worth something to someone. Deep down I must have felt the same way too."_

Harry's eyes shot open, he turned to Cooper almost to afraid to ask him to repeat himself.

 _"What...Coop..."_

 _"You're all I thought about when I went back to Washington. It got so bad, I started seeing you everywhere. I think my mind was trying to tell me that what I actually needed, was you."_

Dale looked as though he might cry.

 _"I'm so sorry Harry, it must have hurt like hell."_

Harry looked away. He was glad it was dark out, so Dale couldn't see him blushing.

" _When I lost Josie it always broke me. But you were there. When I think back I try to pinpoint the moment I fell in love with you, but it was before then. Way before. I didn't know Josie, not really. The girl I loved wasn't really Josie. You were there, and you were always yourself."_

Cooper was impressed. Harry was not one for eloquent speeches.

"So what was the moment then?"

Harry tilted his head.

" _The moment?"_

The FBI agent smiled softly.

" _The moment you knew you loved me."_

Truman blushed and turned his head.

" _Thats easy Coop."_

The sheriff straightened himself up and said in his best mock Cooper voice, gestures and all;

" _Sheriff, what kind of fantastic trees have you got growing around here? Big, majestic."_

The pair started to laugh, quietly at first but then it grew until they were in hysterics on the side of the road. Cooper quieted down first.

 _"Harry, I have to go back to Washington at some point..."_

He looked up at the Sheriff sadly. Truman looked down thoughtfully.

" _Not tonight you're not."_

" _Harry…"_

 _"You're under arrest."_

 _"Wait, what?"_

Harry stood up and unhooked his handcuffs from his belt.

 _"By the order of the Twin Peaks Sheriff's department I put you under arrest."_

Dale stood up quickly and began to back up.

 _"Now hold on a moment. You can't just arrest me."_

Harry was grinning now as he opened the cuff. He stood up tall and intimidating.

 _"Do you know how fast you were going Agent Cooper?"_

Dale started to back up into the clearing, laughing as Harry followed.

" _Harry stop! I'm the FBI, I outrank you!"_

Harry reached out and cupped the Agent's face gently. He pulled Dale in and kissed him with every ounce of passion he had. Gasping for breath, they pulled apart. Dale knew now Harry was right. He wasn't going back to Washington. His place had always been here, with Harry. As if to solidify his decision, he pulled Harry's lips to his and claimed them for his own.

Hawk heard a noise coming from Harry's office. Peeking around the corner he saw the Sheriff surrounded by empty drawers.

 _"Harry?"_

The Sherif turned surprised, a blush creeping over his face. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt untucked.

 _"Heeeey Hawk."_

 _"Harry..."_

The Sheriff clasped his hands together in from of him.

 _"You don't happen to have an extra key for the handcuffs, do you?"_

END


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